Fahan School Launches Better Buddies Framework

350 Teddy Bears have joined the students of Fahan School in Sandy Bay for a school picnic to celebrate the amalgamation of The Alannah and Madeline Foundation's Better Buddies Framework with Fahan's own Big Sister, Little Sister Program.

Each student brought along their favourite bear for the day and each 'younger girl' in the Big Sister, Little Sister program received a purple Buddy Bear, provided by The Alannah and Madeline Foundation's proud sponsor, NAB.  Fahan also celebrated the inaugural year of the Better Buddies/Big Sister, Little sister program by launching Fahan's specially customised Buddy Bear mascot - dressed in Fahan's school uniform!

2011 Junior School Chair, Stella Weston-Smith said the new mascot would be important in recognising the values of the Big Sister, Little Sister program.  "Buddy Bear will now be the official mascot of all our Big Sister, Little Sister events throughout the year and will stand as a symbol of friendship and caring for others," Stella said.

Better Buddies Founder and Prevention Manager at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Maree Stanley, was inspired with the effort Fahan School was making to build and promote caring and friendly environments between the school's students.

"The work the Fahan Community has done to address the issue of bullying is inspirational and a testament to what schools can do to help raise awareness of the issue in their school community.  By incorporating the Better Buddies Framework into their existing school programs, they can make a great program even better and more successful," said Maree.

Fahan School is one of 150 NAB funded schools who have joined the Better Buddies Framework in 2011.  The Alannah and Madeline Foundation first introduced the Better Buddies Framework into 30 schools in 2007, and with the support of NAB have increased the number of participating schools to over 800 in 2011.

NAB has provided each new school with a set of purple 'Buddy Bears' to launch the program and in Term Two will provide all their schools with Better Buddies Activity Books for students to work through with their Buddies.